ADVENTURE OZARK

(8 hour adventure race)
April 13th, 2024

Eight hours of epic biking, trekking and paddling through some of the most gorgeous scenery in Northwest Arkansas. The Ozarks is becoming one of the premier outdoor recreation locations in the country and this race showcases why with rolling mountains, awe-inspiring lakes, incredible vistas and pristine trail systems.

This 8 hour (Lite version) race is the perfect introductory event into the sport of Adventure Racing. Maps will be pre-plotted and navigation will be accessible for all experience levels. The race will include biking (both single track and gravel), trekking and paddling around the NWA area. Come ready to adventure and be inspired by the beauty of the Ozarks!

TOTAL MILES: 30-45 miles
BIKING: 20-30 miles
TREKKING: 5-10 miles
PADDLING: 3-8 miles

  • Expect a fast race with multiple stages between different activity types

  • The race is unsupported and we will manage all the logistics for you

  • Biking will be on single track and gravel roads

  • Trekking will be mostly on trail with some off trail navigation sections


Schedule / Location (timing subject to change)

The race will be hosted in NWA (exact location to be announced at a later date)
Friday April 12 (5pm-8pm) - Team registration
Saturday April 13 (7am) - Mandatory Race Briefings and Gear Checks
Saturday April 13 (8am) - Race Start
Saturday April 13 (4pm) - Race End
Saturday April 13 (4pm-7pm) - Awards/Festival Celebration (in conjunction with Expedition Race teams)
(A more detailed pre-race schedule will be provided to teams before their arrival.)

Safety, Rules & Certification

At all times, teams must stay together (within 100m) and if a team member is unable to continue, the entire team will become unranked.  (Partial or combined teams may only continue at the discretion of the Race Director.)

Before and/or anytime during the race there may be a gear check to ensure all mandatory gear is being carried by each team. See Gear List at bottom of this page for requirements.

Teams will be advised of any variations and amendments to these in advance of the race.

Teams
Teams of 2-4 (any gender) can participate.  If you are looking for a team to join, try the Adventure Racing Teammate Finder or contact us for suggestions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ARTeammateFinder/


Race Categories

  • 4-Person Co-Ed

  • 2-Person Co-Ed

  • 4-Person Male

  • 4-Person Female

  • 2-Person Female

  • 2-Person Male

2024 Race Pricing
Early Registration (until Feb 1): $100/person
Standard Registration (after Feb 1): $125/person

Full refund: Through February 1, 2024. Minus registration fees.
Partial refund (50%): Through March 1, 2024. Minus registration fees.
No refund: After March 1, 2024


2024 Gear List

Individual Gear:
(To be carried/worn at all times by each team member during the race)
All items must be sized to fit user.

  • Wool/fleece/synthetic hat (buffs are acceptable)

  • Fleece long sleeve top

  • Waterproof jacket with hood (no ponchos)

  • Waterproof pants

  • Gloves OR Mittens

  • Pack with hydration system (40 oz. minimum)

  • Energy food (sports drink, gels, bars, sandwiches, etc.)

  • Headlamp

  • Whistle

  • Emergency blanket

  • Compass

Team Gear:
(To be carried/worn/used by each team at all times during the race)

  • Passport (provided by race at race start)

  • Waterproof map case

  • Tool for plotting UTM coordinates (must include 1:15,000)

  • Method of marking map (permanent marker, highlighter, pen, etc.)

  • Charged cell phone in waterproof case (for emergency use only)

  • First Aid Kit – Adventure Medical Kits 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, or construct your own consisting of:
    • (4) 3″x3″ or larger gauze pads
    • (1) roll of 1″ or wider waterproof tape (medical or duct tape accepted), at least 10′ long
    • Antibacterial ointment
    • (1) 3″ or wider ace bandage, at least 5′ long
    • (8) band aids
    • (8) doses of painkiller and/or NSAID
    • (1) pair of medical exam gloves

Individual Gear – Mountain Biking:
(To be carried/worn/used by each team member while biking)

  • Mountain bike (Any style of human-powered bike is acceptable, however, we design the course for mountain bikes. If you bring a lighter-duty bike such as a gravel or hybrid bike, you will probably need to carry it on some or all sections of singletrack. E-bikes are not allowed without RD permission and non-competitive status.)

  • Bike helmet (must be worn at all times while biking)

  • Flashing red rear light, mounted on bike

  • Spare tube (even if you have tubeless tires)

Team Gear – Mountain Biking
(to be carried/used by each team while biking)

  • Multi-tool

  • Patch kit

  • Tire pump OR CO2 cartridge AND inflator

Individual Gear – Paddling:
(To be carried/used by each team member while paddling)

  • Kayak/Canoe (provided by race, no personal boats allowed)

  • Paddle (provided by race, no personal paddles allowed)

  • PFD (provided by race, no personal PFDs allowed)

Prohibited Items:
(Teams found with these items will be disqualified immediately)

  • GPS device of any kind (handheld, bike-mounted, etc.) Teams wishing to track their race for later review may submit a GPS device at the start line to be sealed by race officials.

  • Additional cell phones, radios, or other communications or internet access devices, other than the mandatory, emergency-use-only cell phone,

  • Maps other than those provided by the race

  • Firearms of any kind

This is the minimum required gear list. You will need additional items to complete the race. Trail running shoes, biking shoes, pair(s) of socks, Wool/synthetic long sleeve base layer top, Wool/synthetic long pants, additional warm clothing or jackets, chemical hand-warmers, dry bags, watches, sunglasses, bike water bottles, and/or bike computers may all come in handy during the race.

The penalty for missing or non-functional gear is One (1) checkpoint per gear check.